


Marinated Mochi

by parallelanprincess



Series: Hatsukoi No Kaori: Smells Like Teen Spirit [3]
Category: Yandere Simulator (Video Game)
Genre: Crushes, Domestic Violence, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Femslash, Getting Together, Implied Sexual Content, Implied societal homophobia, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Love Confessions, Oh lord here we go, Ryoba Aishi is her own warning, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-07-02 15:03:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15798984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parallelanprincess/pseuds/parallelanprincess
Summary: There are many kinds of love. Familial, platonic, and romantic are among the most powerful. In which Mr. Aishi gets a back story and Midori gets a clue.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had a long ass rant for y'all but I'm tired so I'll edit in later. Comments fuel me. Midori loves you.

Once up a time Yoshikazu Takahashi was a bright eyed seventeen year old boy excited to start his last year at Akademi High. He was studying hard in the hopes of attending Todai and becoming a computer programmer. When Saikou Corp established a branch office in his hometown of Buraza, Yoshikazu was determined to land one of their elusive internships upon graduation. The year was 1993 and the future looked bright. Then the murders happened and his life went to shit. Over twenty years later Yoshikazu Aishi found himself staring in disbelief as his wife hurriedly stuffed his suitcase.

“Ryochi, can you explain what's going on again?” he asked nervously. He learned not to question her during those first few days. Ryoba tended to wave a knife around whenever she was agitated. Over time he realized it was more of a nervous tic then an actual threat.

“Do you remember our journalist friend? Why that nasty little pervert is still snooping around. He scurried off to America. I think it's time we all had a nice reunion, don't you? Darling, remind me to pick up something for Ayano while we're there,” Ryoba said.

He watched as she grabbed the katana that hung above their bed. A family heirloom passed from mother to daughter that served as a constant reminder of the strength of an Aishi woman in love. Most days Yoshikazu forgot it was there, another set piece in the horror film that was his life. On rare occasions Ryoba took it on work assignments. He dreaded when she came back and asked him to clean the blood and gods knew what else from it.

“Sweetheart, we can't leave our daughter. Ayano's never been on her own before,” he said.

Who was going to cook her meals? Make her bento? Help Midori with her homework? His daughter needed him. She needed to be protected from Ryoba and everything else out there.

Worrying about the journalist was useless. The man was dead the moment he decided to get within ten feet of Ryoba. Yoshikazu couldn't afford to worry about him. He knew a lost cause when he saw it. Long ago, he learned to compartmentalize his feelings. The only thing that mattered was his own survival, surviving each day with the demon he called a wife.

Nothing was going to stop Ryoba from boarding the plane to America. She was zipping up her weapons bag with the same enthusiasm she used to put on her makeup everyday. He couldn't deny she was beautiful. Deadly things often were.

“Come along, darling. We don't want to be late.” She was grabbing his arm, preparing to drag him out the door. There was no telling how long they would be gone or if they would return. Ryoba wasn't being forthcoming with any details.

He had no idea what might happen to Ayano. She would return home from school to find an empty house and a hastily written note. Ayano would be completely alone for weeks with no explanations. She might think they abandoned her. At sixteen she was smart enough to take care of herself. She shouldn't have to when both her parents were alive and healthy.

“Ryochi, wait a moment.”

“What do you want, darling?”she asked. Her smile reminded him of the first time she broke his legs. Ryoba tried to keep him from escaping her parent's basement. His future stepfather had patched him up, carried him back to the basement and left him locked away in the darkness until the day Yoshikazu could learn to love Ryoba. Yoshikazu still had a slight limp in his left leg. Ryoba broke him and put him back together again so many times.

“What if I stayed? You're more than capable of handling this without me. I'll slow you down. It's not too different from your business trips,” he said. He avoided her piercing gaze. Ryoba was silent before she continued.

“Darling, don't be silly. We've never been apart for more than a few days. Ever. I've always kept you close to me. I couldn't bare to be separated from you.” Ryoba was walking towards him. He soon found himself back against the wall. Ryoba wasn't going to let him go that easily. Yoshikazu tried looking past her to avoid the way Ryoba was literally breathing down his neck. On the dresser on the other side of the room he saw a picture of Ayano and Midori at their middle school graduation ceremony. He needed to figure a way out of this.

“Um, you know they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Spending time apart might uh...strengthen our love for each other. Distance would bring us closer. Text all day, Skype all night. We can even send each other naughty pictures. Doesn't it sound romantic?,” Yoshikazu said.

He gently stroked Ryoba's cheek before placing a kiss there. For someone so clingy, Ryoba was starved for physical affection. It took him years to realize that a gentle embrace was enough to keep her from hitting him. He kissed her with all the passion of a man on death row trying to seduce his executioner.

“I am weak and you are so, so strong my love. Your mission is a good and noble one, something that only my beloved could do. Alone. I would...be a distraction. Please, you must go on without me darling as I am holding you back from your true calling. I will stay and watch over our daughter, groom her to be as deadly and beautiful as those that came before her. I don't know how I will survive without you. I want you to know that I will waiting patiently for the day you return to my arms,”

Yoshikazu was laying it on thicker than cheap foundation. There was no way in hell he could pull this off. Ryoba was smarter than a fox and twice as crazy. It might be easier to convince her to bring Ayano along. At least then he could watch over her.

“Darling, that so romantic! You have such a way with words. Why you've never said something like that before. Yoshikazu, I love you,” she said.

“I'm going to miss you so much. I promise I'll be back as soon as I can,” she said. She rested her head on his chest. He hoped he interpreted his rapid heartbeat as excitement and not fear. Ryoba rarely used his name, he was on the right track. He just needed to go in for the kill.

“Before you go, can we...you know? We have a little time before your plane leaves.”

“Darling, what has gotten into you? You're being so needy today” she said, slipping a hand into his pants. The best way to deal with a horny Ryoba was to lie back and think of Japan.

Forty minutes later, he waved goodbye as Ryoba got into a taxi. This was almost too easy. He expected more a fight from someone as controlling as her. Yoshikazu knew she had something up her sleeve. Ryoba wasn't going to leave him unattended for long. He didn't doubt Ryoba would come up with something on her journey to America. Ryoba's attention was solely focused on hunting down and the foolish man who dared to cross her path all those years ago. Poor bastard.


	2. Chapter 2

Yoshikazu hummed to himself as he peeled potatoes. He was in a good mood. No Ryoba watching his every move as he handled the knife. She said she didn't want him to get cut by accident. He knew it was because she was extremely attached to her weapon of choice. None of that mattered now, he wanted to enjoy every moment Ryoba was gone. Yoshikazu didn't care if it was for ten weeks or ten seconds. He was a free man.

The sound of the front door opening nearly made him slice of his finger. She was back. He knew it. Why did he ever think otherwise? He was going to be trapped in this hell for the rest of his life. This was not a home, this was his prison and he might as well have been making his last meal.

“I'm home!” Ayano called. Yoshikazu exhaled deeply. Ayano was going to give him a heart attack.

“I'm in the kitchen, sweetie. I'm making nikujaga! We haven't had this in ages. Today's a special occasion!” Yoshikazu said.

Ayano walked into the kitchen looking absolutely adorable in her school uniform. Gone were the sailor suits of his youth, Akademi updated its look with the black blazer variant. The uniform cost an arm and a leg. He had to buy Midori three sets after her parents ordered the wrong sizes for the green haired chatter mouth. At the start of her first year in high school, the grocer's daughter had arrived on their doorstep wearing a blazer that comically hung off of her.

“Where is Mother?” Ayano asked as she approached him. He noted that she sounded anxious. Ayano wasn't exactly afraid of Ryoba. Yoshikazu wouldn't blame her if she was.

“Your mother is...,” he began. “Your mother is on a business trip. She will be gone for awhile.”

“Oh. I am surprised. Mother doesn't leave often.”

“Today was a special case. Don't worry, Aya-chan. Papa will take care of you.”

“I prefer your company to hers,” Ayano whispered.

Her mother wasn't outwardly abusive. Ryoba never chastised Ayano for any negative behavior. Ayano was never punished for bad grades at school. Not once in Ayano's entire life had Ryoba raised her voice at their child. On the surface it didn't look like Ryoba abused Ayano. As with all things concerning Aishi women you had to look passed the fake smile and sweet demeanor to see the true horror that lurked beneath.

Ryoba saw Ayano as nothing more than a doll, something pretty to look at and occasionally dress up. Ayano was meant to stay in stasis until the day she met her Prince Charming. Their daughter was meant to shut the rest of the world out. Nothing else mattered. No one else mattered. Ayano's life was meant to be nothing more than a waiting game. It made Yoshikazu sick to hear listen to her tell Ayano that everything would fall into place once her prince arrived.

He wasn't strong enough to directly contradict Ryoba. He wasn't sure the extent of the damage his wife was inflicting on Ayano's psyche. He wasn't a psychiatrist or a doctor or anything that might help. He was only a man. A man who loved his child more than his own life, who feared her future more than her mother.

Ayano sat down on the counter top near the fridge. He was slowly teaching her how to cook. He found that Ayano learned best through observation rather than direct instruction. Another reason he needed to set a good example. You never know what bad habits children might pick up.

“How was school today? Did you learn anything new?” Yoshikazu asked. He placed the diced potatoes into a bow of water to soak. He wiped his knife before sitting to work chopping the onions and carrots.

“Something interesting happened. It involved Midori,” Ayano said.

“Really? We should have her over for dinner more often. She's such a sweet girl.”

“Midori said something strange. I don't understand why she said it. Or why she why she felt the need to say it in front of the entire class. Afterwards she acted as if nothing happened.”

Yoshikazu turned off the stove. He turned to see Ayano sitting on the counter top with her fists clenching the marble surface. She was staring at the floor and biting back her tears. He went to her, he laid his hands on both her shoulders.

“Sweetie, it's okay. I'm sure she didn't mean it. Sometimes Midori says things without thinking,” he said softly. He pushed her bangs out of her face. “Hey, whatever is is I promise it's not as bad as you think.”

“Do you promise you won't get mad?” Ayano asked. She refused to meet his eyes.

“I promise.”

“Midori said she loved me.”

Yoshikazu wast a bit stunned about how unsurprised he felt. Midori and Ayano had been attached at the hip for years. He saw the way Midori stared at Ayano during play dates, watched as the walked down the hill hand in hand each morning. The long phone calls, the sleepovers, and constant hugging all pointed to Midori having feelings for his daughter. He was never quite sure how he felt about it.

Puppy love tended to fade out after a few years. He assumed that entering high school would curb that affection as they started to drift apart. Yet here he was watching Ayano fall to pieces in front of him. At no point had he considered how Ayano might react to her best friend confessing her love.

“Ayano, I-”

“I think I'm in love with her,” Ayano said quietly. Yoshikazu wrapped his arms around her. He was happy for her. Happy and terrified. He prayed to a god he didn't believe in that he sorted this out before Ryoba returned.


	3. Chapter 3

Midori walked down the hill eager to get home as the sun was quickly setting. Her parents wouldn't return home til well past midnight and she wanted a good meal to be waiting for them. She had enough time to watch a few episodes of Magical Girl Miyuki before she started her homework. Maybe she could livetweet it so Yan-chan and Kuuchan were able to catch up.

Midori was surprised to see Kuu waiting for her at the bottom of the hill. Her friend was frowning. The corners of her mouth slightly turned downwards in a way most people failed to notice. Kuu was deeply upset. She had been since early that morning. For some reason, Kuu refused to talk to her after homeroom. Ayano gave her the silent treatment as well. Midori didn't question it. She knew she did and said things people didn't like. She was always too much for people to handle. Yan-chan and Kuuchan never yelled at her. They stayed quiet as they waited for Midori to slowly figure out her latest mistake. Midori found she liked that a lot better than yelling.

“Gurin, you're an idiot,” Kiku said. Midori stopped in her tracks. Kuuchan never called her that. Everyone else but not Kuuchan. What did she do this time? Midori upset her and now Kuuchan was going to hate her forever.

“I'm sorry!” Midori pleaded.

“Do you have any idea what you've done?” Kiku asked.

Midori felt awful. She replayed the days events in her head. Things were fine on the walk to school. Homeroom was normal. Okay, she dozed off during English and Kuuchan kicked her desk to wake her up. Midori doodled during civics class as the teacher went over economic growth. Yan-chan liked the pictures that she drew of Keroppi. Midori hadn't done anything out of the ordinary. Oh no, maybe that was the problem. They were second years now and were expected to be more mature. Ayano and Kiku were sophisticated girls from rich families who were embarrassed to be associated with a low class failure.

“Please don't hate me! I promise to do better. Whatever it is I'm sorry and I'll never do it again. I always make you and Yan-chan clean up after me and I'm super clumsy and-”

“Enough.” Kiku placed a hand over Midori's mouth. Despite her efforts Midori continued her tearful babbling.

“We shouldn't do this here. Follow me, we're going to the park.”

* * *

Midori sat on a bench as Kiku paced in front of her. In the distance she saw children playing a game of tag in front of the swing set. A group of mothers watched over them from the other side of the playground, periodically looking up from their smart phones as the children shouted and screamed.   
Midori remembered sitting on that same bench many years ago.

She was all alone. None of the other kids wanted to play with her. They thought she was too loud and stupid. The other kids were more likely to throw rocks at her then invite her to play. So Midori stayed on her favorite bench and thought about happy things like butterflies and fluffy clouds, and frogs. On a cloudy summer day Kuuchan walked over to her. Without saying a word the blue haired girl took a book out of her book bag and sat down next to Midori. Kuuchan stayed their reading in silence as Midori stared. They had been best friends ever since.

“Midori, I want you to think about what you said today. What did you say when Rana-sensei asked you about yourself?” Kiku asked.

“Everyone my name?” Midori said. She might be forgetful but she never forgot what her name was. Though sometimes she messed up the pronunciation of her surname. For some reason people thought her name was Green Green.

“After that,” Kiku said patiently.

“I said I loved Ayano. I do. She's really great and super pretty. Everyone should love her.” Ayano was the most perfect person who ever existed. Midori got a warm fuzzy feeling in her heart whenever she looked at her. She wanted to hold Ayano tight and never let go.

“What do you mean by 'love'?” Kiku asked.

“I love her. I don't understand. I'm sorry Kuuchan. I'm more confused than normal. What's wrong with loving Ayano? I love everybody. I love you too.”

“Midori, you are so dense. I can't believe I have to explain this to you. Do you even know the difference between platonic and romantic love. Wait, you probably don't what platonic means. Do you love Ayano the same way you love me?”

Midori thought hard. Harder than ever before. Her love for Kuuchan was like...a flower. Flowers were pretty and smelled good. She liked flowers because they made her happy. Kuuchan was like the pretty bouquets she saw at the florist. She want to take them home and keep them for ever. Even if they wilted Midori would love them. Other people were like grass. Pretty in their own way but not nearly as special. She told Kiku as much.

“What is Ayano? Is she a flower as well?” Kiku asked.

“Oh that's easy. Yan-chan is a whole garden. The prettiest, most amazing garden in the whole world. Full of flowers and rainbows. I'd want to live there my whole life if I could,” Midori said.

“Midori, do you know what that means? Your love for me is platonic. Your love for Ayano is romantic.”

“Romantic as in girlfriends?” Kiku saw the wheels turning in Midori's head.

“Yes, I believe so.”

“That's...wonderful! I can't wait to tell Ayano I'm in love with her! In fact, I'm going to tell her right now. She'll be so surprised.” Midori got up so fast she nearly knocked Kiku over.

“Midori, wait. You can't-!” Kiku said.

She was too late. Midori was already running through the park. There was nothing stopping her now. Kiku needed to catch up with her before she did or said anything stupid. Someone was going to have to do damage control. Kiku had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Midori was going to get her heart broken. Ayano might never speak to either of them again. She regretted trying to reason with Midori. She should have left things lie and never gotten involved. The first time she chose to be more than bystander and she ruined her best friends' lives.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm so tired but after I sleep I swear I'm going to rant about this fandom. I don't know why I stick around. Everyone is angry. Reddit is cesspool, Tumblr is a freaking civil war, and Youtube is full of 'exposed' videos. Being a writer, in a small fandom that's super toxic is so wearing. I mean, I want to share these stories but more and more I feel like I have no place here. And it's sad because I've written more for YanSim than any of my other fandoms. Idk I have a lot of emotions and while I do have plans for this series, I hope this comes off as a happy ending regardless of its temporary and i keep going or if i never type a single thing about Ayano ever again.
> 
> I came out to have a good time and honestly I'm feeling so attacked right now.

Ayano sat at the dinner table as her father served her nikujaga. She noticed that he put more potatoes in the stew than usual because he knew she liked them. Her father took her confession better than she expected. He didn't seem shocked, if anything he seemed amused. Ayano wasn't in tune with the rest of the world but she was aware enough to know that two females being in a romantic relationship was frowned upon. Her mother was going to be deeply disappoint in her. Ayano was supposed to fall in love with a handsome prince not her clumsy best friend. However, her mother wasn't around to express her disapproval.

“Father, why aren't you upset with me?” Ayano asked.

“Because there's nothing to be upset about. Ayano, I support you no matter who you choose to live. Boy or girl. What matters most is that they respect you and make you happy. Does Midori do that?” Yoshikazu asked. He sat down next to Ayano. They never sat together. Her mother usually made it a point to be between them at all times.

“Yes,” Ayano replied.

“Then that's all that matters. Now, that you know you're head over heels for the green bean. What are you going to do? Write her love letters and confess under the cherry tree?” Yoshikazu teased.

“I have always received high marks for my composition lessons.” Ayano imagined a world in which she dated Midori. They would walk to school, eat lunch together, and going on trips to the city. They did all those things and more already. The only change was that she could kiss Midori. Kiss her, hug her, and do the activities that were in all those R18 otome games Kiku liked.

“Sweetie, you need to stop taking things so literally,” Yoshikazu said. Before Ayano could formulate a response the front door bell rang. “I'll get it. Eat up, Papa put a lot of hard work into that.”

Ayano poked at her rice with chopsticks. Her stomach was in knots. Midori was friendly but there were limits and boundaries to friendship. Ayano was aware she was lacking in many areas. She was cold, quiet. A perfect contrast to the loud bundle of energy that was Midori. Appearance wise she was plain, black hair being an anomaly in a country full of primary colored manes. Her classmates claimed her she had dead fish eyes that made her look disturbing. She was a fool to think that Midori would demonstrate any attraction to her.

“Ayano, Midori is here! She wants to talk to you.” her father called from the doorway.

Ayano ran through the list of possibilities. Midori most likely forgot what the homework was again. For someone who lived on her cellphone, Midori preferred to go up to people rather than text them. Midori stood in their doorway panting heavily. She was sporting a manic grin. Her father stepped back into the house to give them some privacy.

“Yan-chan, guess what?” Midori asked between deep breaths.

“What is it, Midori?”

“I like you. Like really, really like you,” Midori said. Ayano couldn't believe what she was hearing. Midori was obviously talking about something else.

“I like you too,” Ayano said fighting to keep her tone even.

“Great! Because I have something really important to tell you,” Midori paused dramatically. She grabbed both of Ayano's hands and looked her straight in the eyes.

“Ayano Aishi, I'm in love with you!”

For the second time that day, Midori had changed her life with a simple sentence.

“I love you too,” Ayano said.

“Do you want to be my girlfriend?” Midori was still holding her hands. She was smiling brighter than Ayano had ever seen before. She made Midori happy. Until that point Ayano didn't know that was her very reason for existing.

“...yes.”

“Yan-chan's my girlfriend. I'm the luckiest girl in the world.”

Midori was hugging her. It felt different then the ones that came before. Ayano never appreciated how soft and warm Midori's body felt against hers. Midori was strange and spontaneous. Hopefully there relationship would be the same way. Over Midori's shoulder, Ayano spotted an exhausted Kiku trudging up to her front door.

“Are you alright?” Ayano asked, releasing Midori.

“Midori, how do you run so fast this late at night?” Kiku said bending over with her hands on her knees. Ayano noted that she was drenched in sweat. She appeared to be holding herself up through sheer will power.

“Kuuchan, guess what? Me and Ayano are in love. We're girlfriends and everything,” Midori cheerfully informed her.

“Wonderful. Congratulations. Can we go inside? I can't feel my legs,” Kiku said.

Yoshikazu came out of the kitchen to find the Ayano and Midori cuddling in the recliner. Kiku lay stretched out on the sofa with a damp cloth on her forehead. Yoshikazu decided to call the Deres and Gurins to let them know their daughters were going to spend the night.


End file.
